The cabin’s complimentary outdoor grill is fired up and the scent of well-done steak and hamburger wafts across the lawn.

For the past five years, Kara and Ryan Howard have rented the two-bedroom Cabins at Brackenridge Recreation Complex at least 10 times. The fully equipped, hotel-like spaces offer convenience and economic values for the young family who live about 15 minutes away in Inez. For about as much money as a hotel in Victoria, they can get away for a weekend in a fully-equipped cabin and all they have to bring is – food.

“We used to stay in the campers, but now we come and stay at the cabins,” Kara, 31, said. “There’s a lot of room here and we love the amenities of the park.”

Cammie Pearson, recreation manager for Brackenridge Recreation Complex, said the park offers five cabins, one of which is handicapped accessible. Each unit offers rocking-chair front porches, private driveways, backyards and views of Lake Texana.

“They’re fully furnished with dishes, pots and pans, sheets, linens, towels. Basically, you only have to bring your food and your clothing, and come stay for a weekend,” Pearson said.

Since the cabins were built five years ago, Pearson said they’re booking more regularly on the weekends and when there’s an event at Brackenridge Main Event Center. But a large majority of Crossroads residents still aren’t aware the lake-front cabins are available for daily rentals, and can sleep up to six people per unit.

“I think they’re real reasonable for what you get,” Pearson said, mentioning the daily rental rates of $130. “The view is great. You get a yard, a barbecue pit, a fire ring ... and you get access to all the amenities of the park. It’s a pretty cool place to stay.”

Some of the amenities of the park include volleyball, soccer fields, paint ball, fishing, boating and wildlife watching.

“It’s nice to have the view and see the wildlife roaming around,” Ryan said. “Staying in a hotel isn’t even an option.”

The next phase of the cabins is to build one-bedroom units, which are slated for construction sometime in the future, Pearson said.

But for the Howard children and their parents, staying at the Brackenridge cabins is all about having fun.

“I like it because the cabin is more funner than a hotel and we get to run” all through the yard, Karys said.